Words of Wisdom from DOE's Michael Stetter:
(for the entire 143 page update go here: http://www.rtt-apr.us/sites/default/files/support_uploads/DCAS_End_of_Course_Specifications_06-10-11.pdf )
Introduction to the Specifications for Select High School Courses and End-of-Course Assessments (Updated March 2011)
In addition to providing the specifications for select high school courses, this update incorporates the Delaware Prioritized Curriculum Standards coding and clarifies the Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System (DCAS) specifications for the end-of-course (EOC) assessments. The Prioritized Curriculum coding identifies standards, performance indicators, and grade-level expectations (GLEs) as essential, important, of compact. This coding informs educators as to the areas of instruction that should be emphasized to ensure students’ academic growth.
EOC assessment update:
• EOC assessments will be introduced for use as part of the DCAS beginning in the 2011–2012 school year.
• EOC assessments will be offered at the end of the fall and spring semesters. Schools on block schedules will administer the EOC assessments in January as well as May of each year; schools on semester schedules will administer the EOC assessments in May of each year.
• The EOC assessments will be an online, immediately scored, fixed-form test. Multiple choice and other machine-scored item types will be utilized to provide immediate online scores.
• Prior to the first operational assessment there will be a separate field test. It will be administered during the 2010–2011 school year.
• The DDOE will determine, pending state legislation and subsequent policy decision, whether the EOC assessments will be a requirement for graduation and/or factor in course grades.
A major influence on the course and EOC assessment specifications should be acknowledged here. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were adopted by Delaware in 2010. The adoption of CCSS warrants consideration for both the EOC course and assessment specifications. With that in mind, it is important to note that the DDOE continues its dialogue with districts and charter schools around the implementation of the CCSS, including the important steps of teacher training and course mapping. Delaware is an active member of Implementing the Common Core System (ICCS) and State Collaboratives on Assessment and Student Standard (SCASS), both of which are sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Updates on DCAS can be found on the DCAS portal at http://de.portal.airast.org/
Michael W. Stetter, D.Ed., Director
Accountability Resources Workgroup
March 2011
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